What hasn't been made yet....that would actually sell?

How about smaller diesels? The upcoming GE 44 tonner is great, but I sure wish MTH would have made it one of their 2-rail/3-rail convertibles. There's also the 45 tonner with side rods and the GE 70 tonner, that Bachmann already offers in HO, so they already have the prototype information on file. I also would like to see a CF7, which could be done in many shortline schemes, as well as the Santa Fe, in both cab types. Another personal favorite of mine is the GE U18b, which is a compact, yet husky looking locomotive.

 

I'm still waiting for an updated B&O Docksider with PS3. Does anyone know if either MTH or Lionel is looking into the "Keep Alive" technology already offered in DCC? It seems like an idea that could also be applied to either DCS or TMCC.

 

Bill in FtL

Good Day,

 

Honestly a low nose GP9 would sell very well and many Railroads from Class 1's to short lines had them. For completely new tooling a B30-7, and B36-7 would sell very well because there are no company in O-Gauge has yet to produce them and a decent amount of Railroads owned them.  Steam locomotive wise a nice small scale 2-6-2, 4-4-0, or 4-6-0 would do well because it would be relatively affordable compared to some of the large steam locomotives and it would be good for smaller layouts. 

A modern Mi-Jack crane to unload the new Lionel doublestack containers. LOCOMOTION

I know Lionel has discontinued the PWC series but I would buy a set of military flats with Pyro vehicles.

 

Steve

That's what I am seeing as well.

 

It is very common in this hobby, and especially on OGR Forum for someone to say, "if they would make this, everyone would buy one!"

 

I always wonder how people know this.   The answer, of course, is they don't. It's all anecdotal based on what their few buddies in the club say.  There's nothing wrong with that.   However, for the big guys, making lesser known items is a huge risk.

 

I think the only way we will see Lionel or MTH make some of the things that have been listed in this thread is if they make everything on a Built To Order basis, and not just the unique high dollar stuff.

 

As an example, there's some cool stuff listed in this thread, but so far nothing I would rush out to buy.

 

The big question here should be not whether it would sell, but whether the item would continually sell over a period of several production runs, which the manufacturers need just to break even on the development and tooling costs. They have ALL said it, and this plays heavily into the decision making process.

 

The Jersey Central loco on the first page might sell out one single run. But they need more than that. How many other roads actually owned that loco? And would folks into scale fidelity buy that loco in roads that never had that model engine?

 

I agree with Swafford that there is interest in intermodal stuff. But for young and old, you NEED affordable semi-scale that will run on 027 curves as well as the scale offerings. And folks might not like hearing this, but the semi-scale offerings would probably way out-sell any scale ones.

 

This is the dilemma the train makers face. In the small 3-rail market, where the majority is STILL traditional semi-scale, how to make everyone happy and still stay in business? 

 

And there is a real disconnect between what many would like to see made in 3-rail and the reality of what would sell. I heard someone yell a question to Mike Wolf on why MTH doesn't make this particular road, and his answer was fast and simple: "It doesn't sell."

 

Many wonder about the pitiful selection of O scale decals. Microscale at one time had an extensive line of 0 scale decals. They don't now because the 0 scale didn't sell - and that's from the owner of Microscale. Meanwhile the offerings of N scale and HO scale decals could make an 0 scale guy just drool. While I can't imagine putting decals on an N scale car, obviously people do it, because Microscale continues to offer more and more N scale decals.

Krauss-Maffei ML4000's 

 

Milwaukee Road motorcar 

 

 

 

Milwaukee Road Hiawatha Bus!

 

 

 

Here's another one that would sell: the Evans Auto Loader from the early 1950's. The manufacturer would also have to come up with some 1/48 autos to put on it, since 1/43 cars won't fit. I'm convinced an Auto Loader would sell - train guys like cars too, and it would be a great addition to any transition-era freight train.

 

 

Well we are on page two now and out of all that is suggested I would be in for a scale NYC k5 pacific (hot water) and intermodal (swafford).

 

clem k

Here's one that would NOT sell well in this country, but might just do well on the other side of the Atlantic. MTH has been doing pretty well with its Euro line, so maybe they might even consider building it. I'd buy one for sure.

 

 

Acme Time Machine with all the options.

I have not seen one thing on this post that would have general appeal with allot of us train buyers. Mfgs. Need a broad range of buyers for a product that they have to make new tooling for. 

 

I would like to see them upgrade their present tooling for better detailing, etc.

 

I think the N&W 0-8-0 S1a would sell. Originally owned by the C&O (C16a/b), they were sold to N&W and VGN. They would appeal to folks who model any of those roads.

 

Gilly

K-Line made one.

Rusty

Standard Gauge is already an admittedly "niche within a niche" type market.  Nonetheless, I think a Polar Express 400E along with state-sized passenger cars would be an instant sell-out for the tinplate crowd.

 

David

I like the idea of a new more detailed B&O scale class C -16 0-4-0T. It has always been a popular model in the smaller scales. Barney first made one in the 1940's in HO scale. MTH made a Railking O scale one in their early days but an update without the ridged wheels would be great.

I would love love to see a GE 70 tonner.
A 1890's style open sided excursion car like the "Hello Dolley " car at Strasburg (or Disneyland)or open sided trolley would be great.
A New York or Chicago Elevated Forney 2-4-4F would be amazing because a lot of these were later used in mining ,industry and logging RR's

I have always liked the Baldwin baby faces.....I'd even get one in a fantasy scheme. Who had them besides the CNJ?

 

Peter

This modern center beam TO SCALE:

 

The hobby gets inundated with trains and rolling stock every year, much of it with more detail and features, yet I find there's few if any comparable accessories, mainly buildings that compliment the trains.

Now that is cool!

 

 

Peter:

 

The double ended units were unique to the CNJ. There were several types of single cab A units with a somewhat similar profile built for a number of roads.

 

Bob 

 

 

Yes they did, and I have one. That is a semi-scale car; it's about the right length but a bit narrow. I had an awful time finding cars other than Volkswagens, Corvettes, and '55 T-Birds to put on it. Top-down convertibles look pretty silly on a Auto Loader; you don't rail ship a new car with the top down. 1/43 cars are too big to fit six full-size sedans on the K-Line Auto Loader. I even tried 1/64 cars but they were too small to fit in the wheel tracks. I finally settled on half a dozen 1/43 Eligor '62 Corvair coupes. Cost me a bunch, buying them one at a time off eBay. I'd still like to see a scale Auto Loader with full-size, scale sedans of the correct period. And I think it would sell. I'd buy two or three if they came with different cars.

Well I'll take 2- C&O K-3/3a with both 6 axel tenders, rectangular and Vandy.

 2- C&O Hudsons #300 w/elephant ears, and #314. Yep, that'll bout do it!...........Brandy

 

P.S. By the time these would ever get made, Bachmann will probably have eleminated the compitation with their "Blue Tooth Electronics", or they maybe calling it "Gold Tooth", as the bucks they will have made by then.If so I want these electronics installed in these engines.

 

 

I agree that well-painted steam-era figures are sadly lacking.

Also, flat fronts for various structures for small layouts and to fill areas on a background. And not just brick and city buildings, either. Nobody seems to make rural wood factory structres as flats. Lots of them as 3D buildings, though. I need a long one and decided to build my own, but I would have spent some money on a good flat kit for a long wooden industrial structure. That could be used from early steam to the modern eras...

sounds good to me.  Or better yet a simple turntable (like the Atlas HO surface mount one) one thats compatible with Fastrack or tubular O gauge.

A second NATTY BOH car set!

Every time I respond to one of these "I wish they'd make"'s, I know I am wasting my

time.  The guy who runs the O scale March Meet in the Chicago area collected NYC

Hudsons, and had a wall of them in his now closed shop.  Not sure how many of them

that was, but I know more variations have been ginned out, so I know there is probably somebody out there that could top that.  However, I converted my Marx

#1829 Hudson into a Mikado.  I just do not have any interest in "Hudsons", even if

by other names such as that assigned by the C&O.  But I am sure many, many more variations will be forthcoming.  I am just not sure why.  I am also sure I ain't buyin'

n'air'n.  I will keep nibbling around the edges until something new and different and

interesting is made, then race in and grab one, to quickly retreat back to the edges

while the machines keep stamping out doughnut holes.

Hmmm...interesting - it seems that the Baldwin Baby-Face keeps getting play. I've

wanted one for years, especially since:

 

- My 2 favorite RR's had versions: GM&O and NYC

- The super-funky CNJ double-ender has cried out for an O-gauge version forever

So, how about biting the bullet L or M (and it would almost certainly be M; too bad, as I like

TMCC, but I'd buy) and producing the B-B, A1A and twin-cab versions (Two-Face?) of the Baby-Face in proper and not-so-proper road names?

 

The Centipede is a Baby-Face, you know - I bought that (NdeM).

 

========

 

MORE IMPORTANTLY (and I'm looking at you, Weaver, since Lionel grabbed the Heavy Mikado):

NC&StL streamstyled J-3 4-8-4 Dixies.

 

I'll take one of each version - a Stripe and a Yellowjacket

 

====

 

Oh, and: NYC K-5 Pacific (a K-3 or K-14 would be nice, too)

             NYC H-10 Mikado 

 

I would like to see a new model of the ZW transformer. 

About two thirds the size of the current model. 

200 watt output for medium sized layouts. 

 

thanks,

 

phil. 

I agree with Rusty and Southwest on this as well:

 

Here's another one that would sell: the Evans Auto Loader from the early 1950's. The manufacturer would also have to come up with some 1/48 autos to put on it, since 1/43 cars won't fit.

 

Lionel already has a suburb flat car as a starting point. All this is needed is the super-

Structure and or course the correct autos.

 

In my brief research, it seems that this might have been a one-off prototype, maybe someone can confirm or correct me. Still, I think this is very visual-centric car that would be welcome on many layouts.

 

Charlie

 

This is an interesting question.  Thinking about it some more, I think I have a home run, or at least a triple for someone.  If I were RMT, I'd invest in the tooling to make a plastic body for the current BEEP and BEEF chassis that was a scale model of the Brookville DES-70B, also known a decade ago or so as the BL-600 or something like that.  

 

I think a ot of us would buy it, because we like and respect RMT and let's face it, a scale model diesel switcher, this cute, at RMT prices? Yessir!

 

 

A standard gauge Jersey Central Camelback!

Well, these are more thoughtful responses than the usual "What do you wish...." thread gets, IMHO anyway.  There are a bunch of things mentioned that I would buy, but at the top are the 4-6-0 steamer and the 6-car Evans Auto Loader.

"Smart" 21st Century Diesel Maintenance Facility
Building!

Technology and Innovations have always caught my eye. That
said, I would suggest that Lionel produce a "Smart" 21st Century Diesel
Maintenance Facility Building.

Legacy features:
1. Open and close
the doors with Cab-1 or Cab-2.

2. Turn exterior and interior lights on
or off with Cab-1 or Cab-2.

3. Enter Id’s into Legacy Cab-2 what Diesel
or Steam locomotives are assigned to their scheduled maintenance and have
announcements from the Maintenance Facility or Roundhouse when the engines need
to be serviced. “Engine 1988 Scheduled Maintenance today track one”, kind of
like a Locomotive Maintenance Management System. The Service check could be
programmed for 30, 60 or 90 days. This would make for a great reminder to look
your engines over for traction tire issues, lubricate gears, check for loose
wires, and a general maintenance check just like the real deal. If you wanted to
service all your engines in 1 session, then you could enter a code that would
make an announcement of all your engine ids one at a time every 5 or 10 minutes
until you have acknowledge the engine has been serviced. At the end of the day
you could enter a code that would check all the engines in inventory that have
been serviced and announce “All engines serviced next scheduled maintenance in
30 days”.

The Maintenance Facility could even make announcements for
staging your Diesel or Steam locomotives for sand, water and fueling. “Engine
1982 Track two clear for fueling”. A two stall modern building would look
fantastic. A roundhouse would be colossal!

Regards,
Swafford